Official World Cup Thread

**Rodion Romanovich** · 06-12-2006, 10:29

Nice games yesterday. I wonder why not more teams use the type of tactics that led to Robben's 1-0 goal, and later Pauleta's 1-0 goal! The nice long pass + a fast running forward (like Robben) or tactics to fool the offside traps always seemed to me to be one of the most effective ways of scoring, accounting for about 1/3rd or 1/4th of all goals scored in the latest World Cups and European Championships, and especially effective against defensive opponents. Seems to me most teams except Brazil and Germany have worked hard improving their defensive at the expense of a much more careful offensive, after Greece won the last European Championship. So more quick attacks of the type Holland and Portugal showed will probably be necessary, unless you have the same ball control as Argentina

I'm looking forward to USA-Czech Republic today, should be one of the more interesting games in that group, which is IMO nearly as much a "group of death" as group C

Italy, Czechs and USA in the same group is quite tough. How good Ghana are I don't know though.

**Ser Clegane** · 06-12-2006, 18:56

Wow - the Czech were really impressive. The strongest team I have seen so far.

I hope they will get far this time and finally get rewarded for their performance during the last couple of years...

**Dutch_guy** · 06-12-2006, 19:09

Originally Posted by Ser Clegane

Wow - the Czech were really impressive. The strongest team I have seen so far.

I hope they will get far this time and finally get rewarded for their performance during the last couple of years...

I agree, with both statements.

The Czechs played solid, subtle and were on the attack a lot, which isn't their usual style of play. enjoyed to see them play, and am looking forward to their match against the Italians.

Only downside of todays match was that they should have scored a goal less, would have predicted it correctly if that were the case....Oh well...

**LeftEyeNine** · 06-12-2006, 19:12

A-ye. They are not likely to miss their injured strikers Baros and Koller as long as Rosicky keeps up with his terrific form. Their defence is like a pile of mountains and midfield is very productive. Very well deserved.

SFTS, USA should have called up Freddy Adu no matter what age he was. There was not a team on the pitch indeed. (You 're still interested in football after this defeat, huh?

)

Let's see how Italy will crush Ghana

**Rodion Romanovich** · 06-12-2006, 19:22

I have to agree with you all - Czechs are best team so far. Notice they got 10 offsides or so? It's a clear indication of that they were using the effective near-offside long pass + breakaway attempt tactics. Looking at the tournament, this tactic was the way Costa Rica scored their 2 goals vs Germany, the way Robben and Pauleta scored their goals for Holland and Portugal respectively, and the way the Czechs scored 2 of their 3 goals. With the solid defenses used in football today that is the most effective way of scoring IMO. Notice that it also pushed back the USA defenders in a way that allowed Rosicky to get further forward for his long shot that gave the 2-0 goal. The last few games have clearly shown that the long pass and breakaway tactics is effective and that a slowly built up offensive seldom works well.

Finally, the Czechs also deserve credits for keeping up the offensive even after scoring 2-0 and also to some extent after 3-0, so it was entertaining to watch until the end of the game. My prediction of Czechs vs Brazil in the finals might not have been way off after all...

**LeftEyeNine** · 06-12-2006, 19:25

Additionally, Czechs have a weak point: They lack quality bench. Yes I said that their midfielders will be compensating the strikers' absence, however a better set of substitutes are essential if they are to move to the final two.

**Rodion Romanovich** · 06-12-2006, 19:28

Good point, Koller's injury today might be problematic... How long is it until Baros can play?

**Dutch_guy** · 06-12-2006, 19:41

The point you make is valid LEN, put I didn't get the impression they needed their bench players, and I don't think they'll need them against Ghana and if lucky not even against Italy too.

The resting periods are fairly large, 5 days, so I'd say that's about enough time to get ready for the next match.

However, it is a good point, and may prove to be their doom as the tournament progresses.

PS: Barros I don't know, But Koller is out for approximately 4 - 6 weeks.

**Boohugh** · 06-12-2006, 22:36

Originally Posted by LegioXXXUlpiaVictrix

Notice they got 10 offsides or so? It's a clear indication of that they were using the effective near-offside long pass + breakaway attempt tactics.

I disagree, many of those offsides occurred later on when they were playing long balls, yes, but they were aimed at Koller's replacement, their big man Lokvenc who was there to hold up the ball and pass it on, not to break quickly. It was actually due to his bad positioning much of the time that he kept being caught offside.

As for the Italy-Ghana match, Ghana looked like a fast, powerful team but were unfortunately let down by a bit of defensive naivety. I was impressed how they really went at the Italians, and I feel the game could still have gone either way until Italy got the second goal late on.